Google paints picture of abusive scammers sabotaging its service with pricey connections

Google Voice is an intriguing service
from the internet giant that allows free text messaging, free
domestic calling (including to Canada), and reduced international
calling rates. The service hasn't been embraced by all handset
makers, however. Apple quickly
rejected a Google Voice app for the iPhone, prompting a FCC
inquiry.

Google already said that it isn't
breaking the law as the service is free and thus is not subject to
the same restrictions as traditional telecoms. Now it's
Washington Telecom and Media Counsel, Richard Whitt, has posted
a blog sharing Google's perspective in greater detail.

The
post describes, "Earlier this year, we noticed an extremely high
number of calls were being made to an extremely small number of
destinations. In fact, the top 10 telephone prefixes -- the area code
plus the first three digits of a seven digit number, e.g.,
555-555-XXXX -- generated more than 160 times the expected traffic
volumes, and accounted for a whopping 26 percent of our monthly
connection costs."

Google claims that these numbers were
mostly adult chat and "free" conference call lines, with
high associated costs. In response to the criticism, Google say
it has been trying to block calls on a "more granular level".
It says it now only blocks about 100 numbers, which it is confident
are part of traffic-pumping schemes.

Instead of facing
criticism, Google feels it deserves praise for highlighting a flawed
system. It says that the higher costs of calls on traditional
phone plans, and the existence of traffic pumping schemes point to a
broken system. Writes Mr. Whitt, "We still believe the
Commission needs to repair our nation's broken carrier compensation
system."

"When an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song." -- Sony BMG attorney Jennifer Pariser